I figured it out.

The directions were a bit off. If you also have Knitting Around (my copy is a sixth edition) and would like to correct the pattern in your book, here are the changes to make (page 113):

1. K2, slip 1, K1, psso, *K8, turn
14. Sl 2 p'wise, wl fwd, Sl 3 p'wise, turn
17. K2, Sl 1, K1, psso
18. With left needle, pick up 8 stitches along selvedge PLUS the 3 from the right needle. Then, with right needle, K2, Sl 1, K1 picked up stitch (a selvedge stitch), psso (3 stitches). Replace these three stitches onto left needle. Now: (K2, Sl 1, K1, psso, replace 3 stitches on left needle) 7 times. Repeat from *.

Pomatomus

See? See? I have started. I stalled after the cuff for a while, but then I was able to get several rows done while waiting at the doctor's office yesterday. I'm really pleased with the colors of this yarn and like how it is turning out.

I'm also trying to work on a shawl that I started, oh, five years ago or so. I started the border last night (the sawtooth border from Knitting Around) but I'm stuck on the last instruction. Has anyone else done this border? Am I really supposed to carry the yarn across the back of eleven stitches? Of course, I haven't checked for errata anywhere so perhaps I should do that first.

Okay, maybe I wasn't quite "back"...

My daughter has had roseola for the past week. Fever of 102-105 and LOTS of waking up during the night. Several times I've had to hold her for an hour before I was able to put her back down in her crib because she was feeling so badly. Poor thing.

At any rate, I have done virtually no knitting this week. Or much of anything besides try to keep the little one comfortable. Hopefully now that she's almost over it I'll be able to get some stuff done. I've been exhausted.

Back again

I had a wonderful time in Leavenworth. We stayed in a huge, gorgeous lodge and had all kinds of girly fun. I thought I would get a lot of knitting done but I was too busy relaxing in the hot tub, eating candy, making melt-and-pour soap, talking about our kids, playing Frisbee, Mind Trap, and Keep Away, watching traditional Bavarian dancing, and shopping. It turned out that all I bought was fudge (I didn't even get any souvenir yarn!) though I was really looking hard for a toy for our daughter. Oh, and I was busy driving, too. I didn't think I would have to drive but it turned out that I did, so I lost all that knitting time. Oh well.

Did you know you can get custom printed M&M'S?

We got an ad in our mailbox the other day for them. Check out their website, it's kinda fun to play around and look at the examples. Of course, they cost $12.50 per 8 ounce bag (minimum order of four bags), not to mention the fact that I hate M&M'S (all I can taste is the food coloring), but wouldn't it be cool to have custom M&M'S?

Going away

I get a weekend away! I received an invitation to join some friends overnight in a small town about two hours away from where we live, and I am so excited. The gasoline will be expensive, but they have enough people that we're only paying $10-15 for the cabin where we will be staying. I'm slightly anxious about my husband and my daughter managing while I'm away (I'm sure they'll survive, I just want them to have an enjoyable weekend too) because it will be my first time to be gone overnight since she was born. The other drawback is that we have to postpone my Mother's Day breakfast out, but we can go eat out any weekend. It's not every day that you get the opportunity to take a mini vacation for $10.

The town is full of neat little shops that I am itching to explore, and the "cabin" has a hot tub. I can't wait.

They're done!

Yay! They turned out oh-so-close-but-not-quite identical, which unfortunately creates the illusion that one of my feet is about a half-inch longer than the other. Oh well. I learned a lot and will be able to improve my next pair. I wore them all day yesterday and they were very comfortable despite the fact that they wouldn't stay up. I am so excited about these socks. I made socks! That is just so cool!

So close...

This is my first pair of socks for ME! The yarn is Opal Chameleon and it's just a plain stockinette pattern (which is all I've used for socks so far). I can't wait to wear these. I have to finish these and at least start socks for my sister M before I start the Pomatomus socks.

Need, not want

I think my daughter needs this onesie.

Pomatomus

I have joined the Pomatomus knit along hosted by Twisted Thistle. No button yet because I am eternally confused by this HTML thing and have to have my husband's help. Pomatomus is a sock pattern from Knitty, an online knitting "magazine". I've decided to use Stahl Sche Wolle Socka Cotton Color (I don't even know what part of that is brand name and what part is identifying the yarn) from my stash that is blue/turquoise/green variegated; I like the colors a lot and since it's half cotton I think they'll be comfortable for the summer.

I do have some slight concern regarding the size; I am not an experienced sock knitter (almost done with my third pair) so I'd love some advice. I have huge feet. 10" long, 9" circumference. Are these stretchy enough to fit me? I know I can adjust the length but I'm concerned about the circumference because the pattern says they're 7" unstretched.